Allergy Medicines

The popularity of steroids among athletes is not difficult to understand, writes Tony Kornheiser of the Washington Post. "The world we live in seduces us every day with: 'You don't like something about yourself? Here, take this pill. Make it better,'" Kornheiser writes. "We crave easy, immediate self-improvement, and we consider it a right and privilege of lifestyle. "That goes for allergy medicines, electro-shock ab machines, plastic surgery and so on. "You don't like your face?

A judge upheld a state law Tuesday that gives regulators the authority to tell health plans which prescription drugs they have to cover, a ruling state health officials are calling a major victory for patients. The preliminary decision by Judge Emily Vasquez in Sacramento Superior Court is the latest in a tug of war between insurers and regulators over the 2002 state law. At issue has been which drugs are needed by some patients -- and which are not.

You hate to miss your workout but can't stop sneezing. So you pop a cold pill and head to the gym. But should you pump iron with that load of decongestants in your system? You rarely have trouble falling asleep, but last night was the exception. You took an over-the-counter sleep aid and snoozed away the night. Now it's 6 a.m. and you're raring to run. But should you? Do over-the-counter medicines and exercise mix?

Question: Several years ago I developed a strong craving for ice. Crunching on it wasn't good for my teeth, and it drove my husband crazy. I read that craving ice could be a sign of iron deficiency. My doctor had never heard of this but suggested enteric-coated iron pills, available over the counter. I took one after each meal, and in two months my craving disappeared. These pills have not been available for several years. Other iron supplements upset my stomach so much I cannot take them.

Responding to criticism that its expert advisory panels are packed with industry-friendly scientists, the Food and Drug Administration pledged Monday to clarify its conflict-of-interest rules and provide greater public disclosure.

San Diego State, ranked No. 21, hopes to topple No. 11 UCLA at the Rose Bowl Saturday, but the Aztecs might have to do so with a backup quarterback who has never played a Division I game. SDSU starter David Lowery, though his condition improved Tuesday, is hurting. Lowery has suffered chronic back spasms since Friday. The spasms are believed to stem from an injury sustained in the USC game.

Michael was 15. Tall, and soon to be taller, he ambled into my child-sized exam room and vaulted jauntily onto the table. He was followed by his mother, who, I noticed, had a worried look -- an expression not uncommon on parents of teens. Before the physical examination, I explained how we would structure the visit: I would talk to and examine Michael alone, then meet with his mother to address her concerns. To build trust, often a challenge, I usually start with the adolescent.

Track stars Carl Lewis and Joe DeLoach, who won gold medals at the Seoul Olympics, tested positive before those 1988 Summer Games for trace amounts of stimulants commonly found in cold medicines, but under the rules in place then and now deserve to be cleared of any suggestion they used performance-enhancing substances, according to documents obtained by The Times.

Crystal Rockwood used to be skeptical of "use it or lose it" company benefit plans -- such as pretax dependent-care and health-care spending accounts -- because she focused on the "lose it" possibility. But during the last four years, she has become a believer, racking up hundreds of dollars in tax savings by using these plans, which allow workers to save on their income taxes by committing pretax dollars to pay for such things as health-care services and commuting costs.

Sales of nose drops have been soaring. Dogs have been feeling itchy. Tailors have been using hair spray. Spouses have been getting cranky. Because it's been dry. We're not talking about the lack of rain, although that's also a problem. We're talking about low humidity. During the last two weeks or so, Southern Californians have been suffering through extended periods of what are known here as Santa Ana conditions.